Tonsillitis in children is usually found in the 5-10 years age group and it can be extremely troublesome when it affects a 19 month old child. Keep the child isolated in bed and make sure the room is well ventilated. If you have started on solid food, you may want to stop temporarily and switch to a variety of liquids. Feed the child fruit juices, particularly lemon and orange juice. Dilute the juice with water and add a little honey to taste. Apple juice, grape juice, juices made out of melons, pineapples and plums may also be given. Take a warm glass of water and squeeze a lime into it. Add some salt and spoon feed it to the child while still warm to provide a soothing relief to the throat. Use a heat compress for the throat to reduce the inflammation. Take care to change the compress periodically and the child will feel better when the area is warmed up. Do check the temperature though to make sure it is not too hot for the baby. Use warm water to bathe him once a day. Boil a glass of fat free milk and add a pinch of turmeric to it. Feed the milk to the baby while it is still warm. The antiseptic, antibacterial properties of turmeric and the necessary nutrients in the milk will help boost the child's immune system which will in turn help battle this condition.
If the child is on formula, raw vegetable juices may be combined with it to treat the tonsillitis. Add 150 ml carrot juice, 50 ml cucumber juice and 50 ml beet juice to the baby's formula and feed it to him once a day. Take a glass of warm water and add five teaspoons of honey to it. Squeeze a lime into it and add some salt. Feed the child a few spoons of it twice a day. If water hyacinth plants are available, take a few twigs and burn them till the ashes are formed. Mix the ashes into a little mustard oil and apply topically to the inflamed region for relief. Another application could be made by boiling dry figs and then grinding them. Add a little water to the mixture and apply onto the neck. You can make a paste by grinding equal amounts of radish seeds, mustard, flaxseeds and barley. Apply onto the tonsils and then wash off with warm water. These are only home remedies and if the infection is acute the child would require medical attention and may be prescribed antibiotics by his physician.
answered by M W